Little Bog of Horrors Revisited - Orchid Board

ronaldhanko · #1 10-05-2010, 11:22 AM

About an hour south of where we live someone has introduced at least five different species of carnivorous plants into a floating bog or muskeg. This must have been done many years ago, since the plants are well established and no one knows when or by whom this was done. The bog is isolated and there is little chance the plants will spread to other locations but they are "aliens" that really should not be there. It is fascinating, however, to see them and to see how well they have adapted to a climate very unlike that to which they are native. A description of a recent trip to this bog and pictures can be found at:

Orchids and Serendipity

Eyebabe · #2 10-05-2010, 03:35 PM

Pretty cool...

Gin · #3 10-05-2010, 03:38 PM

Wish it was close to here, would love to see it ..

ronaldhanko · #4 10-05-2010, 03:44 PM

Thanks, Eyebabe and Gin. If you are ever out this way late August to October, would be happy to show you the bog.

Tindomul · #5 10-05-2010, 04:09 PM

Very nice blog! Which species of pitcher did you not expect to find in that bog? I know over here in NY/NJ we find S. purpurea.

prem · #6 10-05-2010, 05:21 PM

Very cool...north Florida hosts all three of those pitcher plant species (plus three others - S. minor, S. psittacina, and S. rubra). There are several bogs in the Liberty County area within the Apalachicola Nat'l Forest where venus flytraps have been introduced and thrive.

It's neat to find these species growing so far away from their 'homeland', although I believe S. purpurea has a pretty wide range on the east coast.

---Prem

ronaldhanko · #7 10-05-2010, 05:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tindomul

Very nice blog! Which species of pitcher did you not expect to find in that bog? I know over here in NY/NJ we find S. purpurea.

We have no native pitcher plants, Tindo. There are three in that bog, S. purpurea, S. leucophylla, and S. flava, but they are all non-native. There are Venus' Flytraps there also that are non-native. The only ones that could be native is the Round-leaf Sundew and the Common Butterwort.

Tindomul · #8 10-05-2010, 07:52 PM

Oh wow, no pitcher plants. Well I guess that means free pitcher plants up for grabs.

ronaldhanko · #9 10-05-2010, 08:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tindomul

Oh wow, no pitcher plants. Well I guess that means free pitcher plants up for grabs.

No one would mind, I guess, if someone dug them up, since the DNR people have talked about removing them.

ronaldhanko · #10 10-05-2010, 08:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by prem

Very cool...north Florida hosts all three of those pitcher plant species (plus three others - S. minor, S. psittacina, and S. rubra). There are several bogs in the Liberty County area within the Apalachicola Nat'l Forest where venus flytraps have been introduced and thrive.

It's neat to find these species growing so far away from their 'homeland', although I believe S. purpurea has a pretty wide range on the east coast.

---Prem

Thanks for looking, Prem. They really are something to see, especially if, like me, you've never seen them "in the wild" before.